‘Funmi Roberts is an astute leader with an outstanding track record in mobilising for corporate and public sector reform, with excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Recognised and respected both within and outside the legal profession for her legal, administrative and organisational skills, ‘Funmi has the profound ability to utilise her excellent analytical skills to achieve defined impactful objectives and develop novel strategically designed solutions to challenges.

She became a Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, having graduated top of her class both at the University of Ife, Ile Ife in 1981 and the Nigerian Law School in 1982. It was also at the University of Ife that she earned her Masters of Laws degree, during which she was awarded the University of Ife Alumni Fellowship.

‘Funmi’s tenacity and refusal to be defined or limited by her environment have enabled her to build one of the leading female-owned value-driven legal and ADR law firms in Nigeria, Funmi Roberts & Co, registered in 1989. She is also the founder of Funmi Roberts & Co. Nominees Limited, a company that offers cutting edge company secretarial services to several blue-chip companies in Nigeria. The two firms operate from Ibadan, Oyo State and Lagos State, with a focal point at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

‘Funmi expends time mentoring young professionals, and belongs to several professional organisations such as the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), where she has served in various capacities, including serving for several years on the National Executive Council, the highest decision-making organ of the NBA. She is a member and former chairperson of the Oyo State Chapter of the Federacion Internacional de Abogadas (FIDA, which in English means

International Federation of Women Lawyers). ‘Funmi also belongs to the International Bar Association, Business Recovery & Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria, Society for Corporate Governance, Institute of Directors, Nigeria, among others. She is a Chartered Arbitrator of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), a member of the Global Panel of Mediators of the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (UK), and a tutor and assessor in both organisations. She was recently re-appointed to the Dispute Resolution Panel of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). She received global recognition for her dispute resolution expertise when in 2017, she was appointed as a member of the International Chamber of Commerce Arbitration and ADR Commission. ‘Funmi has served as an African Union Observer at the presidential election in Kenya, and as the Consultant who developed the governance documents for the African Union Economic Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC).

‘Funmi is well published and has delivered presentations on several platforms, is currently the Honorary Legal Adviser of Institute of Directors, Nigeria, was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Women in Management Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) from 2017 to 2019, and serves as the Vice Chairman of the not-for-profit organisation, Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH). She sits on the board of several corporate bodies, including the largest bank in Liberia, Ecobank Liberia, where she serves as the chairman of the board credit committee. She is a member of the board of directors Prudential Mortgage Bank Limited and Qvate Solutions Ltd, among others.

Passionate about paying it forward, ‘Funmi offers scholarships to financially challenged students, and mentors young lawyers on various platforms including a programme tagged ‘Breakfast with FR’. She is also a mentor in the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Women’s Forum and the Women in Management Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ). ‘Funmi is the co-visioner of the COVID-19 ADR Initiative, a platform that offers dispute resolution in an effective and more cost-effective manner for COVID–related disputes.

‘Funmi will be speaking on the topic “My Will Be Done: Leaving a Written Will” at this year’s conference.